StarTrek | Black Pioneer Nichelle Nichols Dies at 89

“Last night my mother Nichelle Nichols passed away of natural causes,” her son Kyle told the actress’ official website uhura.com. “His life was well lived and an example to us all.”

A family spokesperson said the actress died in Silver City, New Mexico, where she lived with her son.

In the 1960s sci-fi series Lt. Nyota Uhura, an officer of African descent and fluent in Swahili, the former dancer and singer quickly became a civil rights icon.

Her role as an upstanding black woman earned her praise from assassinated Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, who asked her not to leave. Star Trek She told him that it was the only series she was allowed to watch his children, as planned.

In 1968, when William Shatner and Nicole Nichols, who played the famous role of Captain Kirk, kissed, it was one of the first kisses between a white person and an interracial person on American television.

In the 1970s, Nichelle Nichols created a video to help NASA recruit astronauts, especially women and minorities.

“My heart is heavy,” tweeted another person in the series, George Takei. “My love, my eyes shine like the stars where you now rest.”

Born in Chicago on December 28, 1932, Grace Dell Nichols began her career as a dancer and singer in Duke Ellington’s band at the age of 14.

He is best known for his role in the first series Star TrekShe had danced with Sammy Davis Jr Porgy and BessActed in other TV series and recorded two albums.

She also played Uhura, a Swahili word for “freedom” in the first six films of the series. Star Trek.